VM211 connecting problems

Poison192 · January 7, 2021, 5:34pm

Hi Everyone,

I’ve tried building the VM211 Earth listener, but after I connected the device using USB I only get a white screen.

With the manual supplied by Velleman close by I used the exact same cable colors as is displayed in the manual. However, at paragraph “4. Adding the shields step 2” it says : Connect the cables of the lightning sensor (VMA343) on the top of the mega sensor shield: 3V3 to 3V3, GND to GND, SDA to SDA and I18 to IRQ.

On the lightning sensor there is no 3V3 pin, only a VCC. After asking my retailer for help, he told me to drop the problem here. I’m quite at a loss right now.

Kind regards

Edward

VEL450 · January 8, 2021, 11:51am

Hello Edward

For the Lightning sensor VM343: pin “3V3” is same as pin VCC on PCB VM343.

Hope this will help You further.

Best regards,
Velleman Support

Poison192 · January 8, 2021, 4:15pm

Hello and thanks for the answer. It did not help.

I reconnected all cables (as told before the same colors as shown on the assembly manual). It still only gives a white screen.

I must admit I only have limited knowledge of Arduino based equipment so I am quite at a loss right now.

Kind Regards
Edward

VEL342 · January 11, 2021, 8:16am

Hi @Poison192,

Could you please test the following:

disconnect all cables to the mega sensor shield so you only have the Arduino Mega, the TFT shield and the Mega sensor shield connected.
connect the Arduino Mega with your PC with the supplied USB cable
check if the EarthListener boots up

It is normal to have a white screen for ca 10 seconds. After that, the TFT screen should start displaying information. If this is not the case, there might be a firmware problem with your module and you will need to upload the firmware again.

Regards,
VEL342

Poison192 · January 11, 2021, 10:01am

Hey there,

I did as you instructed, but the white screen still is all I keep seeing. I reconnected all cable pins did a firmware upgrade to version 4.0 with the help of this thread :

https://forumtest.whadda.com/t/vm211-i-cannot-upgrade-firmware-please-help/33039/16

I did that four times

The first 2 times I got a message the ino file wanted in the folder ‘EarthListener4v0_final’.
After clicking ok the folder was created and I pressed the upload button I got an ardafruit error message.

Then I created the folder ‘EarthListener4v0_final’ and the following error showed "A12 was not declared in this scope. I don’t have the VMA318 LED installed, so I figured this message was related to this. However the screen did not show any difference.

I copied the error message and placed it below :

Arduino:1.8.13 (Windows Store 1.8.42.0) (Windows 10), Board:“Arduino Uno”

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino: In function ‘void controlLED(char)’:

EarthListener4v0_final:154:14: error: ‘A12’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDg A12

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:162:24: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDg’

       digitalWrite(LEDg, LOW);

                    ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:154:14: note: suggested alternative: ‘A2’

#define LEDg A12

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:162:24: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDg’

       digitalWrite(LEDg, LOW);

                    ^~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:155:14: error: ‘A13’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDr A13

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:163:24: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDr’

       digitalWrite(LEDr, HIGH);

                    ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:155:14: note: suggested alternative: ‘A3’

#define LEDr A13

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:163:24: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDr’

       digitalWrite(LEDr, HIGH);

                    ^~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:156:14: error: ‘A14’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDb A14

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:164:24: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDb’

       digitalWrite(LEDb, LOW);

                    ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:156:14: note: suggested alternative: ‘A4’

#define LEDb A14

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:164:24: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDb’

       digitalWrite(LEDb, LOW);

                    ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino: In function ‘void lightningscreen()’:

EarthListener4v0_final:147:19: error: ‘A10’ was not declared in this scope

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:901:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, HIGH);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:147:19: note: suggested alternative: ‘A1’

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:901:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, HIGH);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:147:19: error: ‘A10’ was not declared in this scope

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:905:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, LOW);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:147:19: note: suggested alternative: ‘A1’

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:905:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, LOW);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:147:19: error: ‘A10’ was not declared in this scope

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:909:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, HIGH);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:147:19: note: suggested alternative: ‘A1’

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:909:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, HIGH);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:147:19: error: ‘A10’ was not declared in this scope

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:913:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, LOW);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:147:19: note: suggested alternative: ‘A1’

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\functions.ino:913:42: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

       if(BuzzerEnabled){digitalWrite(BuzzerPin, LOW);}

                                      ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino: In function ‘void setup()’:

EarthListener4v0_final:153:16: error: ‘A11’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDgnd A11

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:83:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDgnd’

 pinMode(LEDgnd, OUTPUT);   digitalWrite(LEDgnd, LOW);

         ^~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:153:16: note: suggested alternative: ‘A1’

#define LEDgnd A11

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:83:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDgnd’

 pinMode(LEDgnd, OUTPUT);   digitalWrite(LEDgnd, LOW);

         ^~~~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:154:14: error: ‘A12’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDg A12

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:84:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDg’

 pinMode(LEDg, OUTPUT);     digitalWrite(LEDg, LOW);

         ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:154:14: note: suggested alternative: ‘A2’

#define LEDg A12

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:84:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDg’

 pinMode(LEDg, OUTPUT);     digitalWrite(LEDg, LOW);

         ^~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:155:14: error: ‘A13’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDr A13

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:85:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDr’

 pinMode(LEDr, OUTPUT);     digitalWrite(LEDr, LOW);

         ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:155:14: note: suggested alternative: ‘A3’

#define LEDr A13

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:85:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDr’

 pinMode(LEDr, OUTPUT);     digitalWrite(LEDr, LOW);

         ^~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:156:14: error: ‘A14’ was not declared in this scope

#define LEDb A14

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:86:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDb’

 pinMode(LEDb, OUTPUT);     digitalWrite(LEDb, LOW);

         ^~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:156:14: note: suggested alternative: ‘A4’

#define LEDb A14

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:86:13: note: in expansion of macro ‘LEDb’

 pinMode(LEDb, OUTPUT);     digitalWrite(LEDb, LOW);

         ^~~~

EarthListener4v0_final:147:19: error: ‘A10’ was not declared in this scope

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:250:11: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

pinMode(BuzzerPin, OUTPUT);

       ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:147:19: note: suggested alternative: ‘A1’

#define BuzzerPin A10

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:250:11: note: in expansion of macro ‘BuzzerPin’

pinMode(BuzzerPin, OUTPUT);

       ^~~~~~~~~

C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\setup.ino:272:31: warning: invalid conversion from ‘const char*’ to ‘char*’ [-fpermissive]

   if(SD.exists(logFileName))

                           ^

In file included from C:\Users\Edward van Brummen\Desktop\VM211 Firlmwear\EarthListener4v0_final\EarthListener4v0_final.ino:21:0:

sketch\src\SDmega\SDmega.h:90:11: note: initializing argument 1 of ‘boolean SDClass::exists(char*)’

boolean exists(char *filepath);

       ^~~~~~

exit status 1

‘A12’ was not declared in this scope

Dit rapport zou meer informatie bevatten met
“Uitgebreide uitvoer weergeven tijden compilatie”
optie aan in Bestand → Voorkeuren.

As I am unfamiliar with the Arduino software I clicked upload a couple of times, a bar ran until it was full in the Arduino software, but nothing showed on the display of th VM211, it remained white.

Maybe this is better explained in my native language which is Dutch as shown in the error message at the bottom.

Thanks in advance,

E.A. van Brummen

VEL342 · January 11, 2021, 10:33am

@Poison192, make sure you follow this guide step-by-step.
You should be able to upload the code without any warnings or error messages.

Here are step by step instructions. Please follow them to the letter to succeed.

Download the latest firmware from https://github.com/Velleman/VM211_Firmware as a ZIP file

It doesn’t really matter where you place the zip file, but for this guide we will place the file on our desktop.

Extract the contents of the zip file by moving the folder 'VM211_Firmware-master" to your desktop

Make sure the “VM211_Firmware-master” folder contains these files:

Rename the name of the folder “VM211_Firmware-master” to the name of the “EarthListenerXXX.ino”-file. In this case “EarthListener4v0_final”.

Open the “EarthListenerXXX.ino”-file, the Arduino IDE will launch with no errors

Connect the Arduino to your PC with the provided USB cable
Set the proper board “Arduino/Genuino Mega or Mega 2560” & port “COMxx”.

Hit upload

The code will be compiled and uploaded to the board.
This can take up to 3 minutes.

Regards,
VEL342

VEL342 · January 11, 2021, 10:35am

@Poison192

Following your feedback, I think you missed these steps:

Poison192 · January 11, 2021, 11:20am

Hello VEL342,

Thank you for the detailed explanation, it really helped solve the problem. The Earth Listener is now functioning normally.

Thanks

Sincerely,
E.A. van Brummen